NAICS 23

Construction in Altoona, PA

Metro Market Score 29.8 (Favorable), ranked #39 of 342 metros. 295 establishments, 2,696 jobs.

Metro Market Score 29.8

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Favorable

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

✓Favorable Market

Altoona ranks in the top quartile for construction market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 29.8, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

36.8

LQ: 0.89

Rank #126 of 342 metros

Wage Competitiveness

14.3

$62,067 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 74.3

Employment growth index

Rank #89 of 342 metros

Wage Pressure

46.4

YoY wage change index

295 Construction Firms in Altoona

295

Establishments

-1.0% YoY

2,696

Total Employment

+4.9% YoY

$62,067

Average Annual Wage

+9.6% YoY

0.89

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Pennsylvania

#2 of 14

construction metros in state

Pennsylvania state rank

#3 of 51

for construction entry risk

vs State Median

-15.9

better than median (45.7)

Altoona vs Pennsylvania Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Pennsylvania overall. The state ranks #3/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Altoona	PA Statewide
Overall Score	29.8 Favorable	28.4 Low
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#39 of 342 metros	#3 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Altoona

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 21.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 35.8 Accommodation and Food Services 42.1 Administrative and Support Services 43.1 Finance and Insurance 44.1 Information 46.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 49.9 Retail Trade 51.7 Other Services 53.6

Construction in Other Pennsylvania Metros

Johnstown 26.0 #21/342 Chambersburg 31.6 #49/342 Erie 36.6 #74/342 Williamsport 40.7 #112/342 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre 43.2 #130/342 Lebanon 43.3 #132/342 Harrisburg-Carlisle 45.7 #152/342 State College 46.0 #154/342 Pittsburgh 50.9 #203/342 Gettysburg 53.4 #229/342

+ 3 more metros. View all in Pennsylvania →

Construction Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Altoona's 29.8 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Greenville, NC 29.9 #40/342 Hammond, LA 29.7 #38/342 Iowa City, IA 29.9 #41/342 Merced, CA 30.0 #42/342 Muncie, IN 29.5 #37/342 Laredo, TX 29.5 #36/342 Hattiesburg, MS 29.3 #35/342 Lawrence, KS 29.3 #34/342 Joplin, MO 29.0 #33/342 Wausau, WI 30.7 #43/342

Construction in States Bordering Pennsylvania

State-level entry risk for construction in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Maryland 35.0 #12/51 Ohio 41.7 #24/51 Delaware 43.0 #26/51 New Jersey 48.3 #33/51 West Virginia 49.5 #35/51 New York 51.1 #37/51

Browse Construction in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for construction across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Altoona's construction sector, the wage pressure component (46.4) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Altoona, PA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment